The sample test automation system is a system which automates processes such as centrifugal separation, decapping, aliquot sample aliquoting, barcode attaching, and aliquot sample sorting. The samples handled by the sample test automation system are biological samples such as blood (whole blood, blood serum, blood plasma) and urine. The state of the samples upon introduction into the sample test automation system is various, and processing contents are therefore different for each sample.
Examples of actual management include: a situation in which the samples which have undergone and not have undergone centrifugal separation are mixed, a case in which so-called Short Turn Around Time (STAT) samples which require prioritized processing are suddenly inserted, and a case in which processing contents are different depending on the types of the sample containers. The processes having different contents have to be carried out for each of the samples in accordance with the management, respectively.
With respect to these needs, conventionally, a conveying method using a sample rack on which a plurality of samples can be installed has been employed to manage information imparting to the rack. Through a method of imparting information such as the types of samples (identification of sample types, distinguishment of routine/calibrator/precision control) and processing contents to the range of the number of an identifier attached to the rack or the color or shape of the rack, samples are automatically sorted to handle above-described various situations.
For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H11-083866 (Patent Document 1), a dedicated number is imparted to a rack on which STAT samples are placed, and the samples are conveyed to necessary conveyance destinations based on the conveyance information read from the rack. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H11-304812 (Patent Document 2) describes a method of a measure against a case in which a reading error of the identifier of the rack occurs.
Containers storing samples such as blood or urine are loaded on a rack or a container for conveying samples called a sample container holder or the like and are supplied to the sample test automation system. Depending on the test items to be measured and the contents of preprocessing, the samples are subjected to, for example, a centrifugal separation process, a decapping process of decapping caps of the containers, a process of aliquoting the sample to one or more different containers, i.e., an aliquoting process from a primary sample to aliquot sample containers in accordance with use; a process of attaching barcode labels on aliquot sample containers, a recapping process of closing the aliquot sample containers with the caps, a sorting storage process of sorting primary samples and aliquot samples in accordance with the processes thereafter, and a process of conveying an aliquot sample rack to an automatic analyzing apparatus and analyzing and measuring aliquot samples. Apparatuses having functions of these processes are connected by a plurality of conveyance lines to constitute a sample test automation system.
Such a sample test automation system is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H7-167866 (Patent Document 3).
In addition, the sample test automation system contributes to shifting test room operators to operations of higher value by significantly automating repeated operations in a test room. In operation of this system, some parts have not been completely automated yet. Typical ones include supply of consumable items, carry-in/out of samples, and recovery processes upon error occurrence.
If an error occurs in the course of a process with respect to the samples, the error-occurred samples have to be separated from normal samples and taken out to outside the system. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2009-222535 (Patent Document 4), working efficiency is improved by customizing sample carrying-out destinations on an automatic analyzing apparatus in accordance with management. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2009-36643 (Patent Document 5), carrying-out patterns are controlled respectively for types of samples, for example, respectively for patients or hospital wards upon carry-out of the samples to sample trays to improve ease in handling of the samples.